The unspeakable could be happening, and you, yourself may be unable to speak.

That's why Brevard County has implemented a texting option for contacting 911. It went into effect Wednesday and dispatchers said it will open up more ways for people to get help. It's available through the four major cellular providers: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon.

In some cases, speaking out loud to contact help could put a person in danger, said Deborah Sands, the county's 911 systems manager. Texting is also a great option for callers with impaired hearing or speech.

But the option is meant primarily for those scenarios, authorities said. Dispatchers said emergency help will be provided quicker by speaking to them rather than texting.

"We can ask more questions" if they're speaking instead of texting, dispatcher Michael Karacsony said. "The more information we can get for the responders going out in the field, the better it is. With a voice call, you can get your point across a lot faster, and then let them go and get to the next 911 call."

People using the text option should also stick with just text. That means don't send videos or photos, officials said. The same goes for emojis, which dispatchers said won't appear in the 911 system anyhow.

Text messages to 911 should also avoid slang or abbreviations.

Dispatchers have spent the last few months testing out the system, officials said. That means there's no need for Brevard residents to send test texts to 911.

"That's just not appropriate," she said.

How To Text 911

Enter the numbers “911” in the “To” field

The first text message should be brief and contain the location of the emergency and type of help needed

Push the “Send” button

Be prepared to answer questions and follow instructions from the dispatcher